1 . Books make great gifts, but which ones to pick? We’ve rounded up some of 2023’s most talked-about reads.
THE COVENANT OF WATER
By Abraham Verghese Publish:2023. 5 $9. 24
Anyone who loves an extremely readable novel that will last through the holidays will enjoy it. This book, which has more than 700 pages, covers the history of a family living at the southern tip of India.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA
By Uzma Jalaluddin Publish:2023. 6 $11. 5
The author reimagines classic (经典) romances—Pride and Prejudice. You’ve Got Mail—with modern settings. It is a humorous retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion that’s as warm and cozy as a cup of tea. The main character Nada has a difficult career and a heart full of regret for her lost love—who just happens to re-enter her life as the novel begins,
KING:A LIFE
By Jonathan Eig Publish:2023, 5 $16. 99
This biography (传记) is about Marin Luther King. It’s a detailed description of his weakness and strength, heroism and important role in the history of American civil rights—a subject that’s as important today as it was in King’s era.
REALLY GOOD. ACTUALLY
By Monica Heisey Publish:2023. 1 $18. 99
Monica Heisey is one of the funniest Canadians most people have ever heard of. It’s a comedy with enough jokes to populate a Netflix stand-up special. If you’ve ever felt lost and hoped that it is leading towards wisdom (智慧), then it is your novel.
1. Which book is the most expensive?| A．KING:A LIFE. | B．MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA. |
| C．THE COVENANT OF WATER. | D．REALLY GOOD. ACTUALLY. |
| A．Jonathan Eig. | B．Monica Heisey. |
| C．Abraham Verghese. | D．Uzma Jalaluddin. |
| A．They tell many love stories. | B．They are about human rights. |
| C．They bring laughter for readers. | D．They are adapted from classics. |
2 . Universal Beijing Resort is a widely expected theme park destination featuring several all-new attractions. To ensure a safe, secure and pleasant environment, please obey the following regulations.
Food Policy
Universal Beijing Resort offers a variety of fresh and delicious food options at restaurants and stands throughout the resort. However, we respect that guests may need to bring some outside food and drinks for self-consumption. The following food and drinks will not be allowed into the Resort (except for medical, infant, or special dietary needs)
·Alcoholic beverages (e.g. beer, spirits, etc.);
·Foods that need to be heated or processed (e.g. instant noodles, cold food, instant hotpot, etc.);
·Food and drinks in glass containers (e.g. soda in glass bottles, etc.).
Security Inspection Process
·All bags, backpacks or packages are requested to be inspected according to applicable laws before guests enter Universal Beijing Resort.
·Bags/containers more than 56cm×36cm×23cm are prohibited.
·Please follow the instructions from Universal Beijing Resort Security Team.
Ticket Policy
There is no admission ticket required for entry to Universal City Walk Beijing, but Universal Studios Beijing is only accessible to guests with admission tickets. Guests under 16 must be accompanied by a guest aged 16 or older.
Themed Park ticket ·One Day Dated admission ·Valid on your selected date only ·Valid at Universal Studios Beijing only From ¥315 | Universal Express ·Valid on your selected date only ·Universal Express price may vary depending on the date selection ·Includes express access to participating ride and attraction, and priority seating at selected shows ·Valid at Universal Studios Beijing only From ¥400 |
If you have any questions or encounter an emergency, please consult an onsite team member, or dial the Guest Services Hotline via 4008-778899.
1. Who is the passage Intended for?| A．Tourists. | B．Tour guides. | C．Security Guards. | D．Parents. |
| A．Buying food from the booth. | B．Eating home-made cookies. |
| C．Drinking coffee from glass bottles. | D．Having backpacks checked. |
| A．The price of Universal Express fixed. |
| B．The entry to Universal City Walk is required to pay. |
| C．A14-year-old boy can buy a ticket and go alone. |
| D．At least ¥400 for express access should be paid. |
3 . Unforgettable shows-A Spectacular Lineup for All Entertainment Enthusiasts!
Show | Time | Price | Discount & Special requirements | Introduction |
| Dazzling Delights | Every Friday & Saturday 7:00 PM | General Admission $30 VIP section $50, | 10% off for groups of more than 10 people | Prepare to be swept off your feet by the stunning costumes and flawless performance of Dance Fushion Group. Talented dancers will take you on a journey of elegance and grace, leaving you in awe. Pieces from classics like Swan. Lake, The Nutcracker will ensure a feast for the eyes while modern innovative dances give audience a fresh idea of dancing. |
| Comedy Carnival | Every Tuesday& Thursday 8 :00 PM | General Admission $25, VIP section $40 | Online booking only | Get ready for an evening with laughter as Laugh Out Loud Productions brings you funny sketches and witty jokes. Raise your hand, step onto the stage and interact with the actors. |
| Musical Magic | Every Saturday 6:00 PM | General Admission $35, VIP section $60 | Kids under 8 not allowed | Immerse yourself in classical masterpieces, contemporary hits, and original pieces. The magical atmosphere created by Melody Makers will leave you humming for days. |
| Mysterious Illusions | Every Tuesday through Sunday 7 :30 PM | General Admission $40, VIP section $70 Admission) | Family ticket: $ 100 (2 adults+1 kid for General | Enigma Entertainment will have your mind blown on the journey through the world of illusions. Witness mind-bending tricks and mind-boggling acts that will leave you questioning reality and longing for more. |
Don’t miss out on extraordinary shows. Visit our website or call our ticket hotline to reserve your tickets today.
1. On which day do you have the most choices?| A．Tuesday. | B．Friday. | C．Saturday. | D．Sunday. |
| A．$100. | B．$140. | C．$160. | D．$170. |
| A．Dazzling Delights. | B．Comedy Carnival. | C．Musical Magic. | D．Mysterious Illusions. |
4 . The New Nordic Diet (NND) is a new food project with key focus on gastronomy (烹饪法)，health, and environment, which will give you a direction for a healthier lifestyle.
Developing a New Meal System
In this first module (模块), you will be introduced to the NND project. You will hear about the background for the project, and the rules behind which are considered to be important to this new meal system.
The OPUS School Meal Study
In the second module, we will study how the OPUS School Meal Study was designed and how the researchers examined the effect of the NND school meals on health, as well as their risk factors for developing lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The study compared the NND with the present situation in schools.
The OPUS Supermarket Intervention
In the third module, we will be looking at the effect of the NND on adults. We will study the effect of eating the NND and the Avenge Danish Diet (ADD), respectively, in terms of body weight, body fat and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. You will learn about problems and advantages associated with (与……有关) two types of diet, focusing in particular on shopping, cooking and meal structure.
Study the NND - From Food to Health
In the last module we will focus on the health of the NND, the effects published so far from different studies and on the possible factors and foods affecting the results.
1. What do modules 2&3 have in common?| A．They try to find out the NND’ s designers. |
| B．They focus on foods affecting the students. |
| C．They study factors for developing diseases. |
| D．They introduce the background of the project. |
| A．Module 1. | B．Module 2. | C．Module 3. | D．Module 4. |
| A．A course plan. | B．A news report. |
| C．A research paper. | D．A short story. |
5 . Being a blogger can be a good business. Don’t you believe it? Read on!
Meet Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vaynerchuk.com)
Gary Vaynerchuk is a New Yorker who gained Internet fame because of a video blog that talked about everything related to wine. Through online blogging, he built his wine business from a $3-million-dollar-a year wine retail (零售) store to a $60-million-dollar wine wholesale business. Gary Vaynerchuk has built a multi-million dollar empire relating to his personal brand.
Meet Rand Fishkin (moz.com)
Rand Fishkin is a college dropout who started blogging about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) back 2022 while working for a family-run web development company. He was also providing SEO consulting services for a few small clients. SEOmoz has left the consulting business since then and focuses on creating awesome SEO software instead. The company makes millions of dollars each month.
Meet Pat Flynn (SmartPassiveIncome.com)
Pat is one of the most inspirational bloggers in the world. After losing his job, he was forced to struggle to support his growing family. He started a website called Smart Passive Income to track his progress with various websites and online money-making projects. He has built a massive following and readership thanks to his honesty. Over the last 6 months, Pat has earned, on average, around $50,000 USD per month.
Meet Andrew Sullivan (thedishdaily.com)
Andrew started his blog, The Daily Dish, near the end of 2020. By the middle of 2023, he was receiving about 300,000 unique visits per month. Just this year, Andrew made some big changes and decided to work on The Daily Dish full-time: On launch day in 2023, the blog reportedly took in over $330,000, charging $20/month per reader.
1. After Gary Vaynerchuck started his video blog, ________.| A．he spent most of his time making videos |
| B．his wine business really took off |
| C．he loved learning about wine |
| D．his online security has been threatened. |
| A．Gary Vaynerchuk’s | B．Andrew’s Sullivan’s |
| C．Pat Flynn’s | D．Rand Fishkin’s |
| A．To learn how to make money online. |
| B．To learn how to find a job online. |
| C．To read very inspiring real-life stories. |
| D．To know about the history of various websites. |
| A．It’s run by a company. | B．It’s famous for its blogger’s honesty. |
| C．It’s mainly about how to cook. | D．It earns money by its visits. |
| A．Being a successful blogger is very difficult. |
| B．The Internet has greatly influenced our life. |
| C．Successful bloggers can make a great fortune. |
| D．Everyone can succeed as long as she doesn’t quit. |
Tiger research: Indonesia While sustainable tourism helps protect many of the Indonesia’s wildlife, one of its rarest species, the Sumatran tiger, suffers as the island’s cities expand into its forest habitat. Fortunately Biosphere Expeditions have created a trip that not only benefits the seriously endangered animal, but helps protect it too. Based in a remote camp in the heart of the rainforest, volunteers will be needed to tour the landscape, documenting tracks, kills and scats (粪便) to aid important research into the lives of these big cats. Company: Biosphere Expeditions Length: 13 days More information: www.biosphere-expeditions.org |
Cycling tour: Cambodia With an ancient world of temples and jungles, Cambodia is the kind of country that needs to be explored slowly. PEPY Tours offers 621 miles of green fields, dusty orange tracks and winding rivers on its 15-day cycling expeditions. Money goes directly to local people through homestays and lunches, while tours allow visitors to learn Khmer customs and contribute to ongoing community development projects. Company: PEPY Tours Length: 15 days More information: www.pepytours.com |
Beach stay: Tanzania A winner in the Best for Beach category at the Responsible Tourism Awards 2014, Chole Mjini Island is a tourists’ paradise (天堂) located off the coast of Tanzania. With no roads or electricity, guests to the low-impact destination can enjoy a simple life in hand-built tree houses and spend days either stretched out on deserted beaches or searching for whale sharks. Company: Chole Mjini Island Length: 6 days More information: www.cholemjini.com |
Teaching: Morocco It’s the breathtaking beauty that draws tourists to Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, but while the remoteness of the setting may aid its charm it also causes problems. Few inhabitants of the region’s rural villages, especially females, continue their education past primary school. Education For All (EFA) is a Moroccan NGO that builds and runs girls’ boarding houses near secondary schools in the High Atlas, making further education theoretically possible. Based in the beautiful town of Asni, the programme is looking for female volunteers with teaching experience. Company: People and Places Length: 4 weeks (minimum) More information: www.travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk |
| A．Morocco | B．Tanzania | C．Indonesia | D．Cambodia |
| A．www.biosphere-expeditions.org | B．www.travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk |
| C．www.cholemjini.com | D．www.pepytours.com |
| A．The four tours are all commercial tours. |
| B．PEPY organizes tours to Chole Mjini Island. |
| C．Volunteers are needed in Indonesia and Morocco. |
| D．Cycling expedition to Cambodia lasts 13 days. |
7 . Reading newspapers has become an important part of everyday life. Some people read newspapers as the first thing to do in the morning, others read newspapers as soon as they have free time during the day so that they can learn what is happening in the world.
Sometimes, we do not have enough time to read all the news carefully, so we just take a quick look at the front page. At other times, we may be in such a hurry that we only have a few minutes to look at the headlines of the passages.
Newspapers can be found everywhere in the world. We can get many different kinds of newspapers in big cities, but in some mountain villages we can see few newspapers.
Some newspapers are published once a week, but most of the papers are published once a day with many pages, some even published twice a day! You know different people enjoy reading different newspapers. Some like world news, and others prefer short stories. They just choose what they are interested in.
Today newspapers in English have the largest number of readers in the world. The English language is so popular that many Chinese students are reading English newspapers such as China Daily or 21st Century. They bring us more and more information with the internet.
1. People read newspapers in order to _____.| A．learn the latest news | B．read short stories |
| C．do something in the morning | D．meet their own different needs for reading |
| A．they read from one article to another |
| B．they have no time to read them |
| C．they just read the headlines |
| D．not everyone reads all the articles in the papers |
| A．in Chinese | B．in English | C．in other languages | D．with many pages |
| A．books | B．magazines | C．the Internet | D．advertisements |
8 . East Corner Wonton, 70 East Broadway, (212) 343-9896
If you come too late, they may have run out of roast duck and chicken, but you can always count on fresh supplies of egg or rice noodles, and shrimp and pork-filled dumplings.
Evergreen, 63 Matt St. , (212) 571-3339
Shanghai-style rice dishes, hot and sour soup, chicken with peanuts, and eggplant or cucumber ($5.95) won’t break the bank at this often-crowded always-reliable place.
Sheng Wang 27 Eldridge St. , nr. Canal St,(212) 925—0805
The pulled noodles are made fresh as we watch and put into boiling water. They have a new noodle man here, and he’s really good.
Joe’s Shanghai, 9 Pell St. , 732-6973
Strangers seated together share one goal - feasting on tasty soup dumplings (8 for $4.25), fresh vegetables and whole yellow fish (the Chinese believe fish, cooked whole, means richness).
Hunan Garden, 1 Mott St. (across from Chatham Square), 732-7270
Have a New Year’s menu and enjoy the dancing lions.
Sweet n’Tart, 20 Mott St. (between Chatham Square and Pell St.), 964-0380
Have a Chinese New Year menu with a multi-course dinner for $25 per person.
1. Which of the following is wrong?| A．You can order soup dumplings in Joe’s Shanghai. | B．Fish is cooked whole to save trouble. |
| C．Roast duck sells well. | D．Chicken is served with peanuts in Evergreen. |
| A．be served round the clock | B．cost too much |
| C．be charged in cash | D．satisfy everyone |
| A．1 Mott St. | B．20 Mott St. | C．63 Matt St | D．70 East Broadway |
| A．Evergreen | B．Joe’s Shanghai | C．Sweet n’ Tart | D．Sheng Wang |
| A．A text book | B．A science report | C．A story book | D．A newspaper |
The word “toad” (癞蛤蟆) would be very easy in an English-language spelling bee, but not in a nationally televised contest in China.
In Chinese, toad has three characters that are made up of 46 individual strokes(笔画). Yu Shuang,
Yu wasn’t alone. The show tested a group of adults in the audience, just 30% of
Since the first show on a minor TV channel about educational programming, the “Chinese Characters Dictation Competition”
Its creator, Guan Zhengwen said, “The hope is
10 . Searching for the perfect gift can be difficult, especially age-appropriate material for teenagers. Look no further! We have a list of the best teen magazines. Give the gift of reading to your teens today!
| Muse For teens up to age 14, Muse teaches, challenges, and excites readers of both genders. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute, this magazine features award-winning authors and focuses on science, history, and the arts. Whether your teen is interested in genetics, video games, outer space, beekeeping, robots, or mythology, this magazine has it all! |
| Sports Illustrated Kids Perfect for sports fans aged 8 to 14, SI Kids supplies readers with interesting sports news they won’t want to miss. Articles on favorite athletes feature incredible photography and illustrations. Girls and boys alike will enjoy the advice from athletes, coaches, and experts in the field: they’ll find tips on nutrition, performance, morale, and more. |
| Girls’ Life Magazine Designed for 10 to 15-year-olds, Girls’ Life provides inspiration and entertainment for every reader. She’ll find tips for dealing with stress, navigating high school, achieving academic success, and beauty and fashion advice. This print magazine delivers fun — quizzes, reader submissions, and more — helping guide young women through their teen years while still allowing them to be young. |
| National Geographic Kids While designed for kids aged six and up, this magazine features a lot of important, fun information about the world around us. Discover great stories about wildlife, current events, pop culture, science, technology, other kids’ adventures, and more! They’ll feel like they’re exploring the places themselves, with stunning photography, lively stories, and exciting facts. |
| A．News about award-winning authors. |
| B．Information about interesting events. |
| C．Suggestions from coaches about nutrition. |
| D．Advice on improving academic performances. |
| A．Parents. | B．Teachers. | C．Kids. | D．Teenage girls. |
| A．Girls’ Life. | B．Muse. |
| C．Sports Illustrated Kids. | D．National Geographic Kids. |
